Frequently Asked Questions

Bird’s nest is sweet and neutral in nature. It nourishes Yin, expels phlem, eases cough and tonifies Qi in the Lung. Bird’s nest nourishes without causing Dryness and Indigestion to the body. It has remained as the most popular tonic among all supplements for centuries.

Bird’s nest tonifies the Lung and Kidney, fights aging and nourishes the Spleen. It is especially good for those weak in the Lung; those with coughing, excessive sputum and fatique; and for people with asthenia bodies.

Soak bird’s nest in warm water for 30 minutes. After removing the feathers (if any) from the bird’s nest, soak it in water for another 3 hours. Keep the soaking water for later use as it contains nutrients from the nest.

Pour suitable amount of water and bird’s nest into a stewing pot. Stew over low heat for several hours. The stewing time differs between types of nest.

Leg – This is believed to be most nutritious part of the nest as the swiftlet start building nest from the base, or leg to support the whole nest. The saliva is thicker and more compact. Hence, longer time is required to soak and cook the nest.

Nets/Stomach – This is built inside the nest to provide a more comfortable environment for the nestlings. The nets/stomach of the nest absorbs the best nutrients of the swiftlet’s eggs when they are hatched.

You should feel the bird’s nest with your hands. It should be dry, light and hard. Bird’s nest that is sticky and soft weighs heavier and will mould easily.

Bird’s nest should be clean, and with little dirt. Bird’s nest with feather and dirt is not only time-consuming to clean, it also weighs heavier.

If the bird’s nest is dry, there should be 6 to 7 pieces in every 38 grams. On the other hand, there are usually 9 to 11 pieces of bird’s nest cake in every 38 grams. However, this depends on the size of the bird’ nest cake.

After soaking, 38 grams of good-quality bird’s nest will weigh around 263 to 300 grams.

As birds’ nests are considered one of the most precious products, imitation and substitutes are widespread. Imitation of whole birds’ nests is made from various items including rubber, animal skin and seaweed. Sometimes these whole nests are painted with special glue-like substances to make them heavier. Externally, it is difficult to identify the imitation whole nests. But the most prevalent imitation is the bird’s nest pieces. Various substances can be mixed with the cleaned pieces to emulate the shapes of bird’s nest pieces.

Some merchants use chemicals to process and clean bird’s nest. One can tell the difference between chemically treated processed nests from those of untreated materials by the shine of the cement strands. Nest cement that is too shiny and smells strange is likely the result of chemical additive. Cleaned nests that are too red in color could be the result of dye additives which will dissolve after soaking.

Other unscrupulous merchants may coat a layer of egg white or jelly on poor quality imitations. This would add extra weight. The fake nest would reflect light and look opaque. In contrast, light will penetrate through a genuine bird’s nest. Some fake nests are made of “Malaysian rubber” or “pig skin”. The former smells and tastes acidic and does not contain nest threads while the latter releases oil after soaking in water. Some fake ready-made bird’s nest and nest pieces are made of resin or bleached laver.